1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods of tracking objects captured by a digital image sensor. In particular, systems and methods of tracking objects with video recording devices are disclosed.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advent of inexpensive and smaller recording systems, the recording industry is growing. More and more people enjoy recording objects in their environment using digital recording systems such as video cameras and mobile devices. The recordings can be used in a variety of applications, for instance for professional uses, for fun and pleasure, or for recording sentimental memories. Given the vast number of uses of recordings, more features and capabilities of these recording devices are desirable.
One of the features that digital recording systems may therefore have are tracking systems that can track on object in its field of view. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,483,437; 8,310,665; 8,249,299; and 8,224,029, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein in their entirety, disclose recording systems for tracking objects. However, for some uses of recording systems, the ability for stable tracking of objects being captured under dramatically changing lighting conditions is needed. For example, a user may track a soccer player as the player is running down the field from bright to shaded areas. Conventional tracking systems operating under such conditions may not perform optimally as their tracking systems struggle to remain locked on a target moving from bright to darker areas. For instance, conventional auto exposure systems are typically used to adjust to these changes in lighting. However, these systems may not respond to dramatic changes in light quick enough to maintain a lock on a target object in a scene and therefore may not be optimal for use in recording systems with tracking capabilities.
Further, some conventional tracking systems may have difficulty distinguishing between true movement of an item being tracked versus apparent movement that is actually due to noise in the system, such as from shaking of the recording device.